Wondering about a player, a past game or another issue involving the Bears? Senior writer Larry Mayer answers a variety of questions from fans on ChicagoBears.com.

What is the latest on the status of quarterback Justin Fields' injury?
Bobby T.
Wisconsin

Bears coach Matt Nagy confirmed Friday that Justin Fields sustained "cracked ribs" in last Sunday's loss to the Ravens. But that doesn't mean that the rookie quarterback will be sidelined for an extended period of time. In his pregame radio interview before Thursday's contest in Detroit, general manager Ryan Pace said: "We're really fortunate that it's nothing long-term. It's definitely not an IR thing. It's more of a day-to-day thing." Nagy added Friday that Fields has been "moving around pretty good" but is not sure at this time whether the first-round pick will be ready to return a week from Sunday when the Bears host the Cardinals at Soldier Field. Said Nagy: "Every day matters for him. I think he's doing a good job of keeping the communication open. But we're going to have to wait and see truly where his health is at to the point of him being able to play or not play. We don't want to obviously risk more injury to him as well."

I hated to see Roquan Smith go down with a hamstring injury against the Lions. He's clearly the Bears' best player on defense. Do you think he'll be placed on injured reserve?
Jacob G.
Crete, Illinois

Losing Roquan Smith Thursday was a big blow for a defense that was already playing without Khalil Mack, Akiem Hicks and Danny Trevathan. Smith has been performing at an All-Pro level and is a highly-respected team leader. Here's what coach Matt Nagy said Friday about the fourth-year pro's value to the Bears: "I think everybody understands and knows how I feel about Roquan and the type of football player he is on Sunday, but I don't know if people truly understand who he is as a leader of this team—not just the defense, but the team in general. And so you see that happen with the hamstring and we'll keep an eye on it, and who knows how long it is. Keep your fingers crossed for that. But he's a big part of this thing. His true professionalism, the respect that he has from his teammates, from his coaches, it's rare. And he's only been getting better every year, and this year is probably his best year." Asked about the possibility of Smith being placed on injured reserve, Nagy said: "I hope not. We'll work through all that and we'll know more as the time goes." The Bears coach added that "everyone's a little bit different" when it comes to hamstring injuries, saying: "It depends on the magnitude and the level of hamstrings. Everybody gets them, and they're all probably a little bit different [based] on how many have you ever had in your career, how do you respond to them, all that. He'll be doing everything he can to get right."

When was the last time the Bears kicked a field goal as time expired to win a game they were trailing before the kick?
John G.
Chicago

The last time that occurred was Sept. 15, 2019 in Denver when Eddy Piñeiro's 53-yard field goal lifted the Bears to a 16-14 win. While Cairo Santos' kick Thursday was much shorter (28 yards), there were some similarities: Both kicks came after the clock was stopped with :01 remaining and both gave the Bears a 16-14 win on the road.

Chalk Talk features fan questions multiple times each week. Email your question to Larry.